1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium and a method of setting a printing condition in the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of paper such as thin paper and thick paper are used in an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral). An amount of toner deposited on paper, a fixing temperature, a conveying speed of paper, and the like vary depending on paper types. Therefore, the MFP holds data of plural types of paper type groups classified in accordance with grammages, which are weights of paper per a predetermined area. The MFP sets an appropriate printing condition for paper on which an image is about to be printed on the basis of the data. Selection of a paper type group is performed by a user. However, it is also attempted to identify a paper type with a media sensor provided in the apparatus.
Conventionally, there is known an image forming apparatus that changes respective control conditions on the basis of information on manufacturers, model numbers, basis weights of paper information data with reference to control data, estimates a paper surface state and a paper thickness of a transfer paper during paper passage with an optical sensor provided in a paper passing section, and corrects an amount of change according to values of the paper surface state and the paper thickness (JP-A-2003-84507).
There is also known an image forming apparatus including paper type detecting means for automatically discriminating a paper type and setting means with which a user sets image forming conditions including the paper type (JP-A-2003-29581, U.S. Pat. No. 6,996,349, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,145). This image forming apparatus suspends an image forming operation when a set condition concerning the paper type and paper type detection information are different.